Tag Archives: discover ontario

Each year, a group of adventurous students sign up for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. This award encourages grit, as students set goals that test their skills, push them to find adventure and work as a team. Student complete stages that increase with difficulty, moving up upon the completion of each level. At the end of the programme, students are awarded a pin and certificate to show their accomplishments.

This past weekend, students took to Algonquin Park for the first Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (D of E) trip of the school year! The students set out on a canoe trip on the chilled waters of Northern Ontario. The group was comprised of 16 students, chaperoned by Mr. Giles Campbell, Mr. Clyde Dawson, Mr. James Leslie and Mrs. Hanna Kidd.

Unphased by the cold and ferocious winds, the group kept a positive and keen attitude – a trait emphasized by D of E. The group camped on Parkside Bay before paddling over to Big Porcupine Lake for the remaining nights.

On Saturday, the day was spent paddling to Bonnechere Lake where participants enjoyed a much-deserved lunch. After filling up on a hot meal, a few very students took a dip in the lake. Needless to say, the swim was a refreshing one!

After a weekend spent embracing Mother Nature, this group of adventurers proved their strength, endurance, teamwork and positivity.

Yesterday, the Ridley Guidance Office accompanied our grade 12 students to Toronto, for the Ontario Universities Fair (OUF). The OUF takes place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, and is the largest University Fair in North America with all 21 Ontario universities represented. Each school had massive and elaborate displays, staffed by their own students, recruiters and school administrators. It was a unique opportunity for our seniors to ask questions, learn first-hand from current post-secondary students, and to come away with important information about programmes of interest.

With four busloads of 125 students, we were certainly the largest contingent of the day! As it happens, we left the fair at exactly the same time as the Toronto Blue Jays won their final home game of the season! With 50,000 fans spilling out onto the streets, it took a logistical miracle to get us back to campus safely and soundly.

Many thanks to Counsellors, Mr. Matt Bowie and Mr. Michael Maki, as well as Residential Don, Mr. Josh Farkas (AB East), for chaperoning the event.

One final note to parents; all 21 Ontario universities will also visit campus this fall, along with approximately 65 other universities from around the world. Details and updates on their visits to Ridley are available to students and parents through the Naviance Family Connection portal.